


Step Lovers -Spamano

by FelixTheLemonKing, TooPureForThisKat



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2019-11-04 16:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17901167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FelixTheLemonKing/pseuds/FelixTheLemonKing, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooPureForThisKat/pseuds/TooPureForThisKat
Summary: King Romulus is getting married to Queen Isabel. While the wedding goes smoothly, things don't go all that smooth for Antonio and Lovino. The heat is especially turned up when it's decided that there will be a competition for who gets to be heir to the throne.





	1. 6 Months Before the Wedding

I should have cared. I definitely should have cared. My dad was getting married. The king was getting married! To top it off, I was also getting a step brother to add to my already annoying brother, Feliciano. God, I wish I knew how much of an idiot Antonio would have been at the time.

So how did I care about all of that? Here's the answer for you; I didn't. I didn't care and looking back I really should have.

My brother and I first met Antonio about six months before the wedding. We were invited by the Queen to stay there for a week and “Get to know the area” since, if everything went to plan, we would be living there. So we packed up some essentials, and after a painfully long trip in a very cramped carriage that consisted mostly of Feliciano talking non-stop and trying to get me to talk to him, we were there.

The welcome party was fancy, I'll admit. But after such a long trip all I wanted to do was go inside and take a siesta. That had to wait, though, because the moment we stepped out of our carriage we were greeted by wealthy nobles and traders. All of which seemed just about as excited to be there as I was, but they plastered on a smile anyway.

Finally after what felt like thousands of greetings we made it to the entrance of the castle and went inside. I thought that maybe I would be able to relax, but the moment we stepped into the grand castle we were immersed into a ball set in place of our arrival. Just wonderful.

All eyes were on us as my father made his way through the crowded room towards the Queen and handsome prince. I mean, I didn't say he was handsome! He was, well he wasn't bad looking. I just had a slip of the tongue, okay? The queen was wearing a red gown that sparkled with orange and yellow jewels while Antonio- who was definitely NOT handsome- wore a simple dress shirt.

I never got the chance to see the prince before in real life. He looked so much more alive and carefree than in the paintings. Not that I was staring or anything!

When we finally managed to make our way through the crowded room I was given a much better view of prince Antonio and the queen. While the queen had her hair up in a gracious bun, the prince looked as though he still had a bedhead. How in the world the queen let that slide is beyond me.

Other than the hair, they did both look fairly similar. Same olive skin, same bright green eyes, you get the picture. The prince looked far more energetic however.

“King Romulus.” the queen said in greeting.  
“Queen Isabel” my father responded, “How are you?”  
“Fine, and you?”

They continued their completely boring royal greeting, but I didn't get to hear the rest of it because Feliciano had already grabbed Antonio and I by the arms and led us away to a more secluded area of the ballroom.

“Veh, I can't hear anything in this crowded place!” he said with a truly pitiful look on his face that my father had fallen for time and time again in the past.  
“If you want, we could go to the castle gardens instead! It'll be far more quiet there.”  
“Won't you get in trouble, though?” I ask.  
“Yes, and your point is?”  
“... Fine, whatever then. Let's just go.”

And, with a very excited “Veh!” from my fratello, he led us out of the room and through the halls to the castle gardens.

When we got there it took us a lot of time to find a bench to sit at because Feliciano wanted to look everywhere and I had to keep yelling at him to stay with the group. However, we did finally manage to find a bench and sit down. And, if I may, the gardens did kind of look pretty nice. Nothing like home though.

“So, what's it like living here Antonio? Do you have good music and land and… Oh! Do you serve good pasta here? Because pasta is my favorite food and if you didn't serve it I would be really sad. One time when I was little I had a guy taking care of me that hated pasta! Can you believe it? He wouldn't let me eat any pasta ever it was so sad. What was I talking about? Oh yeah! Do you have pretty women here...” my fratello continued to ask him question after question, most of which Antonio couldn't even answer to just because he was talking so fast.

“Hey, uh, Fratello. Why don't you go look at the flowers? Or, something.” I said, hoping that I might be able to get him to stop talking and go away.  
“Veh? Hmm, I guess!” He said before getting up and running off in some direction.  
“Nice save! I didn't know how many more questions I was going to be able to handle, haha!”  
“Believe me, if I didn't stop him he would have continued on with enough questions to fill an entire ocean with.”

We stopped talking for a moment, it was a nice silence. Unfortunately, it was ruined by an oh so rude Spaniard that so happened to be sitting next to me.

“So… parents are getting married…”  
“Yeah…” I said, thinking for a moment, “Ugh, but I don't care what it legally says. You are not my brother. Got that? I already have one to deal with.” I don't know why, really, it just bugged me so much to think of Antonio as my brother of all things.  
“Aww, boo. But, okay. Thinking of you as my brother does sound really weird.”  
“Right. Anyway, I wonder why my dad and Queen Isabel are getting married. They certainly don't seem to love each other. My guess is that they are doing it for, ‘the good of the kingdom’” I say, making quotation marks with my fingers.  
“Yeah! I never want to have to do that. My friend, Francis, says that I'm a hopeless romantic but I can't help it! I'd hate to have to one day throw away my dreams of getting married to someone I love for the good of the kingdom.”  
“Mmm, love is stupid so I don't care if I have to marry someone for the good of the people.”  
“How could you say that! Love is wonderful and I for one can't wait to fall in love.”  
“How can you say all of that when you haven't even fallen in love yourself? Love hurts. It either isn't reciprocated, fails horribly, or stabs you in the back some other way.”  
“Well… well, how do you know all of that, Lovi?”  
“I've heard enough. And don't call me Lovi, it's Lovino!”

Before Antonio could respond, however, the doors to the castle gardens opened.

“Antonio Fernandéz Carriedo!” a female voice cried out.  
“Oh no… I think we got found out.” Antonio said, suddenly far more fearful than he was just a moment ago.

The queen came storming through with… Feliciano following behind her?

“Sorry Antonio! I didn't mean to tell her, but I saw this really pretty flower that complimented her dress and before I knew what I was doing I went back to the ballroom to give it to her but then she asked where you two were and… yeah. Sorry!”  
I could hear a grumble under Antonio's breath just before he responded, “It's okay Feliciano…”  
“And that's not even the first time you have misbehaved today! You wouldn't even let anyone brush your hair this morning!”  
“My hair is a wild beast that cannot be contained!”  
I let out a snicker from that one.

 

A couple hours later and it was almost time for everyone to go to sleep. However, our rooms weren't quite made yet so Feliciano, my dad, Antonio, the queen, and I all hung out in the queens room waiting for our own rooms to be ready. The room was very spacious and held what was probably the best furniture in the kingdom.

“After we get married Lovino, Feliciano, and I will move here so there will be some pretty big changes.” my father said.  
“We know,” I replied, “New personal guards and all that”  
“Ah yes, personal guards. Feliciano, Antonio's tutor has a brother named Gilbert who offered to be your new personal guard after the marriage.”  
“Oh, Gilbert? I know him! Oh- oh boy, good luck with that Feliciano. He's a handful.” Antonio said.  
“Anyway, Lovino you’ll also be getting a new personal guard by the name of Alfred. He used to have a high position in our military and has a cousin, Francis, who works as Antonio's personal guard. I believe he also has a brother who works in the kitchen, but i can't remember his name.”  
“Fantastic. Better be better than that idiot, Lukas.”  
“And the both of you will be getting a new tutor named Kiku. As far as I know he doesn't know anyone that works in the castle, but he was very qualified for the position.”  
“Veh! I can't wait to meet all the new people, I wonder what they will be like!”  
“I just hope there will be pretty ladies.”  
“Oh, the main cook in the kitchen is a lady, I think her name is Bella. She seemed fairly pretty last time I saw her I guess?”  
“She's pretty and a cook!?” I said, “Oh fuck yeah!”  
“Lovino! Language!” my father said.  
“Tch. Whatever.”  
“So… Lovino, how old are you?” Antonio asked.  
“Eighteen, why?” I replied.  
“Ahah! I'm twenty so that means that I will get to be king.” he said smugly.  
“Oh. I haven't even though about that.”  
“Actually, king Romulus and I were talking and we're thinking that instead we'll let either one of you be king based on what your tutors say about your progress.”  
“What!?” Antonio, Feliciano, and I said in unison.  
“Oh my god! I never thought I would ever get the chance!” Feliciano said, a look of pure joy on his face.

Before I could respond to him the doors opened and someone entered.

“The rooms are ready, your majesties!”  
“Thank you, you may leave now.” my father answered.  
“How am I supposed to sleep now!?” my fratello said before bouncing away towards his room.

In our way our way out of the room I grabbed Antonio's arm and looked him in the eye.  
“Listen, my brother doesn't stand a chance in this. That means it's just you and me in this race for king, and I am going to win. Got that, you idiot?  
“Oh it is so on.”


	2. The Wedding

Six months later and things did in fact go as planned. The wedding plans were all set so we packed up our things and left. This time, for good.

“Veh! Aren't you excited, Lovino!? I wonder how Antonio is doing. You two seemed to get along really well last time we were there” Feliciano said on our way to the castle. It was true, sort of. After our first night there we kept challenging each other to play one competitive game after the next. As if that would decide who would get to be heir. He… may or may not have won a few more games than me but, well! He was cheating, okay!?  
“Antonio is just a cheating bastard, I doubt that much has changed since last time.”  
“Aw come on, you don't mean that!”  
“Damn right I do.”

When we did get to the castle there was no ball to welcome us that time. Everyone was too busy preparing for the wedding taking place the next day to set up a ball. There was, however, an Antonio there to bug me.

“Lovino! Feliciano! Hi!” the annoying idiot said as we were trying to find our rooms.  
“Hello, Antonio! How are you? Has anything happened here over the past 6 months?”  
“Ahh. Well, I'm doing okay. Wow! You two have gotten taller! Still pretty short though~. Things have been kind of busy around here for the past few months. Very very boring. But your here now, and the wedding is tomorrow so that should change!” he said, “How have you two been?”  
“First of all, I'm not short. Second of all, not much happened. Feliciano did get really sick a few months ago, though.” I responded, “Hey, lets move this stupid conversation to Feli’s or my room. I'm tired and I want to lay down.”  
“Alright!”

They continued to chat about one obnoxious thing after the other while I looked through the complicated halls for our rooms. The last place I checked had locked doors which puzzled me. I really thought those were our rooms.

“Hey, idiot. Where are our rooms?”  
“Hm? Oh! I think you were looking at the guest bedrooms from last time. Silly Lovi. Follow me!”  
“Don't call me Lovi.”

Antonio took the lead and after a few turns we made it. Oh. It was in the same hall as the Queen and prince's rooms. That should have been obvious.

“See? Here they are! You could have just asked me from the get-go, you know?”  
“shut up!” I said before walking into my room. It was weird thinking about how this would be my bedroom from now on. All those memories in my old room…

Pushing that thought out of the way, I plopped down into the comfortable bed letting all previous negativity float away. Unfortunately, the lack of negativity was short lived. Looking up I realized that Antonio and Feliciano had followed me into my room.

Whatever. I'll just ignore them and go to sleep. It can't be that hard, right? I've had to deal with going to sleep while Feliciano kept up a one-sided conversation before. This will be just like that.

I was very wrong. I was very very wrong. Feliciano decided that the next conversation topic that would be just so great to talk about was Lovino's embarrassing childhood memories. Fucking fantastic.

 

I don't know how I managed to fall asleep through that, but I did it. In fact, I stayed asleep for 18 hours. Nobody even bothered to wake me up to eat supper, or breakfast for that matter. When someone did finally decide wake me up it was at 10am by a servant who was ordered to get me ready for the wedding. They didn't give me anything to eat they just had me bathed, dressed, and all brushed up. Once I was as close to ready as I could be it was already 1pm and I was absolutely starving!

I tried going to the kitchen to grab a bite but it was off limits due to wedding preparation. Thinking of other ideas of how to get food I realized something. The castle gardens have plants. Plants can grow food. Food!

Making my way to the castle gardens I rushed like never before. After a few wrong turns I made it and looked around the beautiful flora for something to eat. At this point, I'd even take the leaves. However that wasn't necessary because I found a tomato plant standing not too far away from the door I came in. Unfortunately there happened to be a certain Spaniard right next to it.

“The fuck are you doing here?” I asked.  
“Oh, hello Lovi! I was just checking the tomato plants before the wedding. What are you doing?”  
“Haven't I told you not to call me Lovi? Several times? Anyway, for your information I haven't eaten in over a day and the kitchen won't let me in. Like hell I'm going to wait for the wedding to eat.”  
“Oh! Well if that's the case then have a tomato, specially grown by me~.”  
Dammit, now I had to eat his food, “Whatever you- you…” I said, looking at the tomato in his hand that looked very very delicious in my hungry state, “Tomato bastard! Now give me that.” taking the tomato from him I looked away and immediately began chomping into the fruit.  
While I ate with no hesitation the idiot before me started giggling, “Tomato bastard?” he said, still laughing, “Well, that's a first!”  
“Shut up!” I responded, “And give me another tomato!”

We continued like that for a while. I had probably eaten over half of the tomatoes he had grown by the time someone came to check on the garden and yelled at us to get inside before we got dirty.

 

“I now pronounce you husband and wife!”

The wedding went marvelously. The queen wore a gorgeous gown that hung like a curtain over her shoulders and flowed like a river across the ground. It was nothing in comparison to the decor that surrounded the outdoor area we were currently at. There were statues made by only the best and fountains not that far away that sparkled in the sun. Many guests from other kingdoms and from our own filled the space to celebrate.

Me and my brother stood next to my father as he held Queen Isabel’s hands while Antonio stood next to her on the other side. Anyway, it doesn't matter where we were standing at that moment in time. Not even a minute after and the area transformed into a ball, music was playing, people were dancing, food was being handed around by servants. Many people surrounded the king and queen to give them their congratulations. 

I took this opportunity to get a dance or two with some ladies and really test out my flirting skills.

Atleast, that was the plan. It unfortunately didn't turn out that way. I asked one very beautiful lady to dance and she said she was already here with someone. I asked two more and they both walked away without a word. The fourth just flat out told me to go away! Come on, at this point Feliciano has already danced with 6 girls. Some he didn't even have to ask, they asked for him! No fair.

As I was surveying the crowd of people for someone else to ask I heard a familiar voice from behind me say, “May I have this dance?”  
Turning around, I noticed with some confusion that it was Antonio, “Wait, what? Why do you- I mean, why would I want to do that!?”  
“Well, you were just rejected by four people in a row. I figured that if the trend kept up then by the end of the night you would be really sad!”

Before I could respond with something so witty it would knock his socks off he had already pulled me into the dance position for a waltz.

“Eh!? The hell, let go of me you idiot.”  
“Oh no, I couldn't possibly do that. After all, I'm a tomato bastard, right?”  
“Fuck you.” I said quietly. This was my father's wedding and I really wasn't supposed to be cussing even if that was the case.  
“Aww, come on. Dancing with me couldn't possibly be any worse than standing alone.”  
“You dipshit, people are staring at us.” It was true. Two men dancing was quite the attention grabber and it didn't help that we were both princes.  
“I don't care, they'll get over it anyway.”  
“Hmph.”

And so we danced. The musicians were playing a nice song, but I wasn't focussing on that. I don't know how the Spaniard was smiling through all of this because I felt like I was suffocating. Strangely, it wasn't because people were staring at me. I think it was because I was dancing with Antonio. But why would I feel that way? I've never felt like I was suffocating while dancing before.

When the song ended I immediately pushed away the Spaniard.

“Whatever you bastard. I'm getting a drink.”  
“Okay, bye!”

It was probably just because I'm not used to being a follow. That's all. Nothing else.


	3. The First Day After the Wedding

The first day after the wedding things had to get moving again. Luckily we didn't have to do any tutoring until next week but that didn't mean we had nothing to do. Feliciano and I had to meet our new personal guards.

First thing in the morning I was woken up by a servant and after half an hour or so was ready for the day. Walking down the halls to get to the dining room for breakfast I wondered about the dance with Antonio the day before. Why did he dance with me again? Oh yeah, because I'm pathetic and couldn't score a single dance after asking four people.

My thoughts were cut short when I finally got there and smelled the delicious foods. Nevermind about that dance, just eat food for now.

“Good morning fratello!”   
“Mmph” I responded not really in the mood to talk. I looked over to see that Feliciano was sitting at the table but that there was no Antonio, “Where's Antonio?”   
“I don't know. The servants should have woken us all up by now so maybe he just isn't ready yet. Why, miss him already after your dance yesterday~?”  
“Shut up, it was nothing like that! We were just dancing. Now get your stupid head out of that thought and let me eat in quiet.” I said before sitting down next to my fratello to eat.

It didn't take very long for us to figure out why Antonio was late. I wasn't even finished with filling my plate yet when the door barged open and Antonio while being followed by a servant ran in screaming, “Leave my hair alone! I don't want to brush it! I let you do it yesterday because it was for a special event now leave me be!”  
“Prince Antonio, the queen is going to get mad at you again if you don't let me brush it. I only want to help you!” the servant with blonde hair and glasses said trying to grab the ends of Antonio's shirt to get his attention before getting shoved away by said man himself.  
“So be it, I'll deal with that myself now let me eat!”  
“Fine, your highness.” he finally said in defeat before walking out of the room.  
“So sorry about that! He's such a meanie when it comes to my hair, but anyway good morning!”

The rest of breakfast was filled with useless chatter while we ate. Thankfully neither of the two brought up the dance again so I was off the hook. Instead, we talked more about what Feliciano and I’s new guards might be like. We were supposed to meet them just after breakfast so with that in mind we tried to eat quickly. From what Antonio said about Gilbert however, I started to wonder if maybe I should be eating slower.

Eventually breakfast did end and a servant came to introduce us to the new guards.

“Hello, your majesties. I hope you had a wonderful breakfast and now if I may I shall introduce you to your new personal guards. Alfred and Gilbert.” 

While he said two names, three people walked in. Two blonde men and one freaky albino. The first one to walk in was blonde with long almost wavy hair and went straight over to Antonio without another word to say hello. The second was another blonde guy who had a strange cow lick sticking up, but it's not like I could judge really. My brother and I both had curls sticking up on the sides of our heads that were strangely sensitive, we tried to avoid them best we could really. 

The third guy was Gilbert. My god, he was a prick. But we'll get into that next chapter. For now, the servant finished his introduction and left us to do whatever since we wouldn't have anything to do until lunch. With that, Gilbert came over to the four of us while Alfred left saying he wanted to check in with his brother.

“So, which of you is Lovino, hmm? Is it this cute one right~?” Gilbert said leaning towards my fratello with a smirk on his face.  
“Ermm, no. I'm Feliciano,” he said cringing back a little before turning to me and mouthing “sorry.” he had his reason to say so though it wasn't his fault. Time and time again Feliciano has been chosen over me as the better one, even from our own father. My fratello doesn't wear that title with pride however and feels bad that people do that.  
“Oh… darn. Well whatever, that's fine.” he said as if it was bad news.  
“Ouch…” said Francis from where he was sitting.  
“Mmph, whatever! Hello Francis, and hello bastard. Now that that's settled can we get out of here?”  
“Oh, sure! Want to play chess? I can see if you're any better than half a year ago. You two can watch too if you want!”   
“Oh sure, but you know you were cheating last time!”

And once my fratello, Francis, and Gilbert all agreed we left. My fratello cheered me on while Francis cheered Antonio on. Gilbert on the other hand seemed caught up in trying to flirt with Feliciano. The asshole…

Whatever, anyway once we were notified that lunch was made we all went to the dining room again where Alfred caught up with us just before he and the other guards left to eat in a separate room. I didn't care about Alfred, but the food made me curious. If you didn't know, I love to cook in my spare time. It's a hobby of sorts. And seeing this meal, something I've never had before, made me interested in how it was made. Straight after lunch I get up to go to the kitchen.

“Where are you going, Lovi?” the stupid Spaniard asked. Antonio and Feliciano were talking about something too quiet to hear and me getting up caught their attention. Usually I ask for seconds instead of getting up so soon.  
“I want to see how they made this. I've never had it before. Why? Can I not get up or somethin?”  
“Darn it…” Feliciano said, which confused me. What was so bad about that?  
“Er… Well, okay.” Antonio said.

Deciding to shrug off that weird conversation I left to go to the kitchen.

 

“Oh? Hello, prince Lovino? Do you need anything? Was the food bad?” a very beautiful lady said when I opened the door to the kitchen.

At first I was kind of confused. Normally anyone who works with royalty is a man, but then I remembered. Didn't Antonio say that the main cook was a lady? Oh and what was her name again… Becky? Well whatever her name is she's very pretty.

“Oh no, nothing wrong. Nothing wrong at all~! I was just very curious about the meal we had today. I love to cook and I've never even tried what was just served.” I said before adding, “And what is your name, miss?”  
“Well if that's the case, you just ate Gazpacho. I could show you how to make it after dinner if you'd like. Right I have to finish cooking.” she said, “Oh! And my name is Bella.”  
“Well then I'll see you after dinner, Bella~!” I said before turning to leave.

I hadn't even made it to the door when I heard a scream that almost sounded like a whisper. Turning my attention to the man who let out the scream wearing an apron (was he there the whole time?) I saw Antonio and feliciano with two hats each filled with cookies.

“Oh snap! We've been caught, run for it Antonio!”  
“For the love of maple! Get back here with those cookies, we need those for desert tomorrow!” the man said in yet again a loud whisper before running after them, “Bella, watch the oven for me!”  
“Got it, Matthew!” she said.

The guy apparently named Matthew ran after Antonio and Feliciano. Just before the two turned a corner I saw Antonio throw one of the precious treats square at Matthews face; the act effectively throwing him off for a few seconds.

“See you after dinner, Bella! I'm getting some of those cookies!” I said before running after the other three, too fast for Bella to even say bye.

From that day on, I would continue to make food with Bella after dinner for fun...


	4. Gilbert

Our week of no tutoring was nice, but unfortunately it was also now over.

Usually tutoring would go from after lunch to dinner, but for the first day it went from breakfast to dinner with a lunch break. Great.

To add to my problems, Gilbert the bastard had still been flirting with Feliciano. Even though Feliciano has told him to stop on the occasions that he knew Gilbert was flirting. He didn't always catch on since he is so oblivious.

Those were my thoughts as I walked to the study room. Today we were being taught by both tutors, Kiku and Ludwig. Just do they would know what we were like. After today it would be Ludwig teaching Antonio and Kiku teaching Feliciano and I. Atleast, that's the plan.

“I really hope Kiku is nice! I noticed most staff here are hired because of recommendation but Kiku wasn't hired because of someone already working here so he must be really good at teaching, huh Fratello! What do you think?”  
“I just hope he isn't strict about work.”  
“Well I know for sure that Ludwig is very strict and kind of mean too. I'm not looking forward to tutoring at all.” Antonio said with a pout.  
“So sorry about that Antonio! Thankfully he's not our tutor, right Lovino?”  
“Mmm, yeah. There's the study room, come on.”

The first thing I noticed was that the room was very clean and organized. I mean, there's neat, but this is something else! It was the art of a true neat-freak at work.  
My brother noticed something else first. Or rather, someone else. He wasted no time to let everybody know about it either.

“Oh my god! You're so muscly!”  
The man, who I now know as Ludwig the fucking bastard, visibly blushed at the compliment and dropped the pen he was holding, “I-... Don't-don't say that! It's not proper for a prince to say such a thing! Why i ought to hold you an extra hour for that.” he said, still blushing.  
“Oh, I wouldn't mind.” my brother said with a smug look being stupid as always.  
It turns out that the german is just as stupid because he didn't even catch the flirtatious tone this time, “Fine then! You'll stay an extra hour!”  
Before my fratello could respond the other man in the room let out a cough to get our attention.  
“I would appreciate it if you would stop embarrassing Ludwig so we could get started, yes? I'm Kiku Honda and you will call me Mr. Honda. This is Ludwig Beilschmidt. Call him whatever you would like.”  
“Erm, yes. Well for today we have some papers for you to fill out so we know how much you know and if there is anything you need to improve upon. As you already know, we are the ones who will be deciding who becomes heir to the throne. Meaning no funny business! We will not be accepting bribes and if you do attempt to bribe us you will immediately be disqualified.”  
“Yeesh, no need to make it sound so dull.” Antonio said before getting whacked on the head and scolded for not treating this as serious as it was.

So that was tutoring. Feliciano constantly at it with the flirting and admiration for Ludwig, Antonio getting scolded left and right, the tutors being assholes, and me being bored out of my mind.  
Lunch break came and went far quicker than it needed to and after the entire day we were finally free. By then I was so tired I almost missed seeing Kiku meet up with some guy wearing a cat on his shoulder who kissed him on the cheek. What a sight...

“So~ did you miss me all day Feliciano? Think about me at all?” the bastard, Gilbert, said at dinner. The personal guards really weren't needed most of the time, but Gilbert always kept trying to be around my brother despite Feliciano's apathy towards him.  
“Ergh… No. Oh! But one thing, why didn't you tell me your brother was so cool? I mean he's a little strict but still so muscly!”  
“Ehh!?” Gilbert mumbled out. Oh good, now he knows what it's like to be second best to your baby brother. By someone he liked so much as well, I thought with a smirk.  
“Well I for one wouldn't compliment the guy so much. I can still feel those smacks to the head…” said Antonio who had that pouty look on his face.  
“Seriously Feliciano, I would just stay away from him. Besides he'd probably think you're trying to bribe him or something” I said.  
“Which you are trying to do, right? Just bribe him? You don't really like him that much, do you?” said Gilbert with a look of panic on his face.  
“Calm down! He couldn't be that bad. And why would I try to bribe him? That would get me disqualified. Besides Ludwig isn't even in the room.”  
The moment he said that the devil himself walked in, “Did someone say my name?” Ludwig said.  
“Excuse me but I need to go use the restroom” Gilbert said with a cold face that I had yet to see before as he got up to leave.   
“Oh, hold on Gilbert I wanted to talk to you.” Ludwig said.  
“Not now, West.” he said before leaving the room.  
“Well… Hello Ludwig?” Feliciano said,”What do you need?”  
“Oh, nothing. I was just going to ask him if he wanted to get some beer.”  
“That's cute! Brother bonding time. If only Lovino would do that with me.”  
“I offered to show you how I make meatballs!”  
“Yeah, but I like how I make my meatballs already!”  
“Guys, he's gone.” Antonio said.  
“Huh?” Feliciano responded.  
“Ludwig left.”  
“Oh. Darn. Well I see him after dinner anyways so that's fine.”  
“You do that. I'm cooking with Bella and then passing out.” I said

 

So that's what I did. Almost. I did cook with Bella and I had a nice time too but the “passing out” part got delayed by a certain Gilbert.

“Hey, Lovino! This is your room right? You in here?” the bastard himself said opening my door (He didn't even knock!). I was just getting ready to go to sleep too…

“Yes, what do you want? Also you're supposed to knock you know.”  
“Ehh, nothing. I don't want anything. I went to go drinking with Ludwig but after two beers I just felt more sad which is totally un-awesome so here I am.”  
“Oh great now I have to not only deal with you, but you've been drinking as well.”  
As I said this, the bastard moved from his position at the door and sat next to me on the love-seat in my room(Far too close in my opinion).  
“I just can't believe Feliciano has a crush on my brother of all people! I'm way more awesome than him!”  
“Hah! Tell me about it. I doubt there is a single person who actually prefers me over Feliciano. Case in point; you. Now get out of my room.”

Then Gilbert gave me this look. I don't know what the look was. Almost like a mix of concern, wonder, and… something else. It made me uncomfortable.

“So, we have a lot in common then?”  
“I did not say that! We have nothing in common. Get out of my room you damn bastard!”  
“You know…” he said, leaning into me. This freaked me out and I could hear very loud alarms going in my head. I tried to scoot away but I could only go so far, “you don't look so bad yourself…”

And then he kissed me.  
He fucking kissed me.

Immediately as soon as I could realize what was going on I tried to push him away. He wouldn't budge and I was really starting to panic. So much for a romantic first kiss.

“Come on, this stuff is supposed to feel good or something, right?” he said trying to kiss me again after finished speaking but this time I managed to put my hand over my mouth.  
“Get off!”  
“Gilbert! Get off of Lovino!” Antonio said storming into my room. Oh, right. Gilbert left the door open. Antonio must have seen what was going on and came in.  
“Wha? Antonio what're you doing here?”  
“You heard him, Gilbert. He wants you to get off.”

While Gilbert was looking at Antonio I finally managed to push him off of me. He fell on the ground and almost instantly got up again.  
“Oh come on Antonio, we're friends! I was just joking off and-”  
Before he could continue, Antonio cut him off, “we were friends. You abused that all too much as well. I let a lot of things slide but this is the last straw. Now, get out and leave. In fact if you're seen on this castle again I won't hesitate to put you in the dungeon.”

Gilbert looked like he had something to say but must have changed his mind as he left wordlessly. As soon as he was gone Antonio just stared at the door in an angry silence before sighing and looking at me with a small smile and sitting down next to me.

“I'm so sorry about that Lovino. I just… I saw him all over you and… Well I guess I felt kind of disappointed at first, but then I saw you were trying to get him off so I had to do something.”  
With the scene that just played out I nearly forgot how to speak but I managed to squeak out finally, “I… What- what do you mean, disappointed?”  
“Well, I just thought that… I don't know, you were enjoying it? What Gilbert was doing, I thought you wanted him to at first,” he paused and looked away, scratching the back of his head, “It's probably really silly but I guess I accidentally ended up really liking you.”

My mind stopped. All my ability to think got picked up and thrown over a cliff and I simply stared at him with not a trace of emotion on my face. He liked me? Someone liked me?

“I… umm.” and right about now is when my mind caught up with the situation. That same feeling from when I danced with Antonio at the wedding came back. Suddenly I was very aware of how close Antonio and I were sitting and that Antonio and I were alone. In my bedroom. Fuck what was this feeling supposed to be? Does that mean I like Antonio?   
“Lovino? Are you okay?” he said, “Your face is really red do you need some water, or?”  
“W-what!? My face isn't red you idiot you're just hallucinating!” I really needed some time to think about this, “now… get out of my room bastard!”  
“Oh? Okay, well see you then I guess.” Antonio said, getting up and walking towards the door to my room, though it sounded very upset and in a defeated tone of sorts. Shit, I don't want him to go away feeling upset when he just saved me from the fucking bastard Gilbert.   
“W-wait!” I said and before I could stop myself I got up from the couch and walked over to him. Before I even knew what I was doing I hugged him from behind, “I just- I just wanted to say thanks,” immediately after saying that I leapt away from him, “Don't read into this like I know you will idiot! You're still just a dumb tomato bastard!”  
To say that the upset look he had before was wiped away would be the understatement of the year because he was practically grinning from ear to ear at me, “Whatever you say, Lovi~ Goodnight!” and just like that he was gone.  
“How many times do I have to say not to call me Lovi, dammit!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for making Gilbert a villain here but I needed someone to fill this role. Gilbert is a precious boi tho, bless


	5. Spanish Lessons

Antonio liked me. Oh god, Antonio actually liked me!? I fucking hugged him too. I barely even let Feliciano hug me. And he’s even technically my step brother! Shit, did this mean that the feeling I had when we danced and when he was in my room, did it mean that I liked him too? Dammit! Why did he even like me? What reason is there? 

“Lovino Vargas! Are you listening?” Kiku said, startling me out of my thoughts and back down to reality. Reality being tutoring. Boring.  
“Huh?”  
“I said that you need to learn spanish. Though perhaps you need to learn how to hear as well?”   
“Oh, I tried learning spanish before. The words were all wrong though.”  
“Well you live in a country that speaks spanish so you will need to learn one way or another. I'm still trying to learn so I asked Antonio if he was willing to teach you.”  
Shit, “Antonio? Really?”  
“Yes. Is there a problem with that?”  
“Urgh, no. Not a problem.”  
“Good. You can go switch out with Feliciano then.”

Great. Spanish lessons with Antonio. As if the past three days weren't bad enough. He kept smiling at me and surprising me with hugs. He even went as far as to try and kiss me on the hand once. I don't totally hate it I guess, it was just so awkward! I don't know how to react at all, if I'm supposed to yell or return the favor or something!

Time wouldn't give me a break, though. In no time at all tutoring was over and I had to sit with Antonio at dinner. May the suffering begin…

“Hello, Lovi~!” the idio- err, Antonio said, “Did Kiku tell you yet? I'm teaching you spanish! Fun, right?”  
“Yeah, he told me. I- umm… yeah.” dammit, dammit, dammit. Vocal cords why do you hate me so?  
“Eh? What's wrong, your face is all red!”  
“Nothing! Let's just sit down and eat. Say, Feliciano! Why are you so quiet?”  
“Huh? Oh, sorry I was just thinking. Kiku said that if I ever wanted to be king I would have to learn how to be a good leader so Ludwig is going to give me some pointers tomorrow. How nice!”  
“I still don't get what you like about that guy so much, fratello. He's an ass.”  
“That's strange” Antonio said as we were just sitting down to begin eating.  
“What is?” Feliciano replied.  
“Well, Ludwig is busy teaching Feliciano and me and Lovino are going to be doing spanish tomorrow so what will Kiku be doing?”  
“I hadn't thought about that…” I said suddenly curious. He doesn't have any other jobs or anything, “He's probably just going to take the day off and sleep in. Lucky guy!”  
“I'll ask him when we see him next.” Feliciano said, “He doesn't seem like the kind to do nothing all day.”  
Oh wait, I remember. He was with that one guy some time ago and the guy kissed him on the cheek. They were probably going on some kind of date then, “Actually, I think we should stay out of it.” I said before chuckling.  
“Eh? Why? Do you know what he will be doing?”  
“Maybe,” I said, “Maybe…”

 

After dinner I went to cook with Bella and then went to sleep as usual. Though, it took me awhile to finally fall asleep. I have to spend so much time with Antonio tomorrow. Alone! Urgh.

The next morning I was woken up by a servant, got ready for the day, and then proceeded to spend the few hours I had before I had to go to the Spanish lessons with distractions. Reading, writing, drawing, ect. It was all in vain though. Lunch came by just the same as it always does.

Listen, I don't usually skip meals. Food is wonderful. But the thought of eating with Antonio right now was just too awkward. This in mind, when the servant came to tell me that lunch was made I (for the first time in years) told them I wasn't hungry. After a little confusion later and I had one more hour to myself. Maybe I might be able to get out of doing tutoring today…?

The answer was no. Flat no. I told the servant that I didn't want to go to tutoring today and they told my father. He came to my room and even after telling him I didn't feel well he still half dragged me to the study room. 

“Okay, Lovino! We're here. No more problems right? Why, when I was a kid I even had to go to tutoring when I was so sick I could barely walk!”  
“I get it, I get it. I'll go, dammit.”  
“What was that?”  
“Umm-”  
“There you are, Lovino! I was wondering what took you so long.” Antonio said from inside the room. Hello, earth? Can you please swallow me whole? Please?  
“Well, Lovino said he didn't feel well but that's no excuse!”   
“Oh, are you okay Lovi?”  
Goddammit with that horrid nickname, “Yes I'm just fantastic. Thanks.”  
“Well if you say so. Anyway, bye Romulus! We have to get started.”  
“Alright, have fun you kiddos.”

Fun, right. I walked in and sat down next to Antonio. Not like I wanted to, I just didn't have a choice. There were only two chairs.

“So, Lovi. I guess to start off, how much spanish do you know?”  
“None of it really, the only thing I can remember from when they were teaching me and Feliciano is ‘besame’ because, well… the girl teaching us was cute. It's kind of embarrassing though…”  
“That's not embarrassing! That's cute!”  
“Whatever!” I said. I don't care what he thinks, this whole situation is embarrassing as hell. 

Before Antonio he had a paper with words I was supposed to learn first and a translation book. I was supposed to look through the book in my spare time, but that just isn't going to happen. After about an hour of going over the words and trying to quiz me on them we were both frustrated, me most of all.

“All these words are wrong! How am I supposed to get all of this! It's stupid.” I said with a huff.   
“It's not wrong, it's spanish!” Antonio said before sighing. He looked away for a second and then got up, “I need to use the bathroom. Be right back.”  
“Mmph.”

He left the room and I looked over the paper of words. I could hardly even recognize one of them and it had been an entire hour! I'm just never going to get this. How could Feliciano understand this gibberish? 

I continued to frown at the list for a minute or so until Antonio came back. Before he sat down he betrayed all that is holy and kissed my cheek as if it were a casual thing and sat down!

“Don't do that!” I said, surely blushing.  
“Hmm? Do what? This?” he said before leaning over and doing it again. Damn bastard!  
“Yes, that! Stop it Antonio you idiot!”  
“Oh, well then. Would you rather I do… this?” he said, kissing the area between my eyes.  
“No, stop!” I said but my goddamn body hates me and I started giggling. Shit!  
“Mmm, no. That won't do. How about here!” he said kissing my ear. At this point he had been leaning directly over me so he moved seats and effectively sat on my lap.  
“You asshat!”  
“I guess that won't work either then, hm?” he said, “lets try… here!”  
He kissed my neck.  
“Here!”  
He kissed my forehead.  
“Or maybe, here!”  
He kissed the tip of my nose.  
“Antonio, stop it!” I said, laughing like there was no tomorrow.  
“Ahh! Wait, I've got it,” he said as I was trying to calm my laughter down. He looked directly at me and said, “but, you are going to have to ask for it! In Spanish!”  
“Antonio, you know I don't know any… Oh.”   
He smirked at me like the asshole he is.  
“No way. No way. No.” I said frowning.  
“Aww, come on!”  
“No.”  
“I'll give you all the tomatoes I grow!”  
“No.”  
“And my desert tonight?”  
“...”  
“And tomorrow”  
“...” what am I doing, what the fuck am I doing, “...besame.” I mumbled out.

It was different from when Gilbert kissed me. It was really different actually. I can't truly describe what it felt like but I can say what happened next. He kissed me.


	6. Bella

About a month passed since Antonio  
kissed me and let me tell you. That was not the last time. He's been attempting and sometimes  
even succeeding at stealing kisses all over the place! It does not help that I've been on and off  
between regular tutoring and spanish lessons. Feliciano is way ahead of Antonio and I now  
considering that he only spent two days worth of lessons from Ludwig. You'd think that Feliciano  
would probably win this whole race to the heir thing with that but I've seen the looks Kiku gives  
him. I don't think he'll get anywhere.  
Anyway that aside, imagine my unfortunate surprise when a servant wakes me up one morning  
and I'm cuddling (half naked!) with Antonio. Yeah. I freaked out.  
“W-whah!?” I said when I realized what situation I was in. Of course I pushed the still sleeping  
Spaniard away, but in the process of doing so I noticed all too late that I was right next to the  
side of the bed and fell straight to the ground.  
“Ehh? Why'd it get cold all of the sudden?” I heard what was undoubtedly Antonio say from the  
bed followed by a mumbled, “my head hurts…”  
Needless to say that was a mess to sort out. Before I could even ask why the fuck Antonio was  
in my bed he had to leave to get ready today. Oh and I made sure both mine and Antonio's  
servants kept their mouth shut about it. I have spanish lessons with Antonio today so after lunch  
the moment we are alone I ask him what it was all about.  
Slamming the door behind me I turn around and stare at Antonio who is looking at me with a  
blank face as if he didn't sleep with me last night.

“So. Why were you in my bed last night?”  
“Oh, I uhh. Hmm,” he said looking down in what is probably deep thought, “I can't remember  
very well, but I think I was walking with Francis after dinner and… I can't remember anything  
after that.”  
“What? That doesn't make sense.” I said sitting down at the table and grunting, exhausted  
already from the sheer annoyance that Antonio was, “Your confusing, Antonio. I don't want to  
learn spanish today. Can't I just take a nap?”  
Said spaniard sat down next to me and ran his hand through my hair. I whacked his hand away  
though, having spent too long getting my hair done this morning.  
“Sorry Lovi, but we have to at least try to get you to understand something on this list.”  
I sighed. This was going to be a long day. What I didn’t know at the time was that it was going to  
be a long day for more reasons than just spanish lessons.

It happened later that day just after dinner. I walked to the kitchen expecting to have another  
nice day of cooking but that was not what happened. I opened the door and looked around but  
nobody was there. Confused, I looked down only to scream in horror and back away.  
On the ground was Bella’s cold dead corpse.


	7. The Murder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1st of all I'm not going by the HRE theory so HRE is really dead. 2nd of all the detective is supposed to be Hong Kong by request of a friend but I don't think I wrote him very well.
> 
> Sorry, bye!

Oh god oh god oh god, Bella she! She can’t be, right!  
“B-bella, hey this is… This is kind of a cruel prank Bella come on!” I cautiously walked forward to  
touch my hand to her neck… The neck itself looked like it had been squeezed to, well, death!  
When my hand touched to her neck only to find no pulse I backed away so quick I fell on my  
back.  
Bella… She couldn’t be…  
Everything else happened so fast after that. A servant saw me and saw Bella laying on the floor  
and told someone else, and they told someone else, and it continued all the way to the queen  
and king. I don’t have many encounters with death and this one, it was the first time I knew  
someone so close and just lost them like that. Two hours after and I when it finally hit me that  
she was really dead I was bawling. Luckily I was in my room already and Feliciano and Antonio  
saw me. They both tried to help as best they could with hugs and kind words.  
Once I calmed down enough to not be bawling my eyes out I just sat there on my bed with both  
of them next to me. We were all in a silence, something not very ordinary whenever we are  
together. I’d say it was pretty nice if I wasn’t thinking about what I saw in the kitchen.  
“Fratello, if it helps… I’ve had to deal with a friend dying too. Well, more than a friend I guess.”  
Feliciano said, leaning into my left shoulder and looking away.  
I answered him though my voice was raw, “What do you mean? I thought I knew all of your  
friends.”  
“Well when Roderich took care of me he would bring over this kid, I think he adopted him  
actually. We were really close and he even kissed me once. Then one day he just stopped  
coming over. Roderich wouldn’t tell me why until years later when he said he got so sick that…”  
he paused a moment and I could feel his face dig ever so deeper into my shoulder, “Well, he  
couldn’t go on anymore.”  
“I… I’m sorry. I never even knew. Why didn’t you say anything?” I said as I felt Antonio shift  
beside me to face Feliciano. He probably feels really uncomfortable right now, he never even  
knew Feliciano when this must have happened. Even still he listens to him with a concerned  
look.  
“I guess I just didn’t know what to say or how I was supposed to say it. You aren’t mad at me,  
right fratello?” he said and I could even hear his voice crack.  
“What? No, I-”  
Whatever I was going to say was brought to a halt because suddenly the door swung open and  
a servant came in, “I’m sorry to interrupt your majesties but the queen and king have a detective  
here to look over Bella’s death and he wanted to speak to prince Lovino.”  
This time, Antonio spoke up, “What? Can’t it wait? I know he was the first person to find Bella  
but he’s really upset right now.”  
“It’s urgent as far as I’m told.”  
Antonio is about to speak again but before he can I’m already off of my bed and walking  
towards the door, “Don’t worry about it Antonio, I’ll be fine.”  
“Well… I’m still coming with you. Feli, you too. Come on.”  
We followed the servant to a small room in the castle. I was thankful of that. I didn’t want to  
have to be in the kitchen again. In the room was the queen and a man with medium length black  
hair sitting at a table. The boredom on his face rivaled that of a stereotypical teenager and I got  
worried. This is the man in charge of the case!? And where is my dad!  
“Err, where is the king?”  
“He had better things to do” the queen answered coldly before sitting at the same table as the,  
I’m guessing, detective and motioned for me to sit next to her. I did so and Antonio and  
Feliciano were about to follow suit before the queen waved them off.  
“This is a private matter you two.” she said.  
Antonio got mad at that, “But mom! I-”  
“Antonio, this girl has been murdered. There are no ‘but mom’s about this. I’m sure you can find  
something better to do.”  
At that they both left and I felt a shudder run down my spine. I can’t remember another time I’ve  
seen someone so cold, to their son no less. Even more than that, did she just say murder?  
“Wait… Murder?”  
“Yeah, now if you’ll let me talk and get this over with I really wanna go home, k?” the detective  
said. I was a little taken aback by how he spoke so… relaxed? About this. As if my friend wasn’t  
missing from the planet.  
“Fine.” I said quietly, looking away.  
“Well lookin at her, it looked like she had been strangled by the neck. As far as we know,  
nobody else was there though… Nobody else but you.” he said and pointed to me.  
“What!?” I yelled. How could he make such a claim!  
“Oi, nobody else was there so what am I supposed to think?” he said, “But even still it makes no  
sense. Why would you want to kill her? Did she make a bad meal or somethin?” he said, filling  
me with rage.  
“Are you fucking kidding me!? She was my friend! She was a good one too! We made food  
together and joked around and she would always compliment my cooking even when I thought it  
tasted bad…” I said getting choked up again.  
“Lovino, sit down!” the queen said, “ Listen, it hardly even matters. If it was you then you won’t  
even get in trouble. Nothing more than a slap on the hand. Nobody will even know about this.”  
“But it wasn’t me! Someone out there killed my friend and they are just going to get away with it!  
Are you honestly siding with him!?”  
“Again, sit down! And as he said, there is no other explanation!” she said and then for a moment  
it was like time stopped. It was like what she said was it. That was final. There is no other  
explanation…  
I sat down and calmed my breathing. I hadn’t even realized I had been crying. I wiped the tears  
away and spoke, “...What about the other cook, Matthew?”  
“He has an alibi. His brother Alfred, he said that he went home earlier today. He was sick or  
something.” he said, “Now if we’re done Imma leave.”  
“And you won’t tell a soul about this?” the queen said.  
“Not like I could if I wanted to keep my head, right?” he said chuckling.  
He left and when he opened the door Antonio and Feliciano came in and the queen left. I was  
looking down at my feet but I could feel Antonio pressing against my side- giving me a hug.  
Feliciano just sat next to me.  
“Are you okay, Lovi? We heard everything that happened, do you want some water?” Antonio  
said, quick to try and save the situation. I couldn’t speak and now I was crying again so I just  
nodded and he immediately left running to grab a glass.  
“Fratello, you… You did it?” Feliciano said almost disbelieving. Almost.  
I looked up at him, my face probably looking pathetic and stained with tears, “I didn’t do it,  
Feli…” I said, but something in the concerned and disappointed look in his eyes says he didn’t  
believe me. So I just looked back down and continued to cry. I think Feliciano left because when  
Antonio came back with a glass of water and pulled me into his arms Feliciano wasn’t there  
anymore.  
The next morning at breakfast was as awkward as awkward can get. Usually the king and  
queen eat their meals at a different time than us. But not today. Why, of all days, did they have  
to eat with us today.  
My father must have heard the news because whenever he looked at me I could read nothing  
but disappointment in his eyes. The queen was acting passive aggressive but at least she  
wasn’t glaring like yesterday. Feliciano just looked down, almost looking guilty. I was trying to  
avoid looking at the food on my plate, not wanting to know who cooked it and who didn’t. And  
Antonio, god bless his soul, was still trying to make this work.  
At first he didn’t say anything like everyone else but then like a madman he actually tried to get  
us in a conversation, “So… No tutoring today, huh?”  
“Mm…” Feliciano said in the most depressed sounding voice I swear I have ever heard from  
him.  
“Nothing to do all day. Say Feliciano, Lovino. Do you two want to play a boardgame maybe?”  
“Not really.” Feliciano said.  
I didn’t bother to respond, not that I had a chance to because my father spoke for me.  
“Lovino isn’t going to be leaving his room today unless he needs to.” he said.  
Big mistake, “So now I’m grounded for something I didn’t do!? Does nobody at this table believe  
that I wouldn’t try to fucking kill my friend!”  
“Lovino, language!” my father said, “And I know what the detective said! You can stop trying to  
cover up now. You are lucky you’re just being grounded for something a normal person would  
be dead by now for.”  
“For the record, I still believe that Lovino is a decent person. Right, Feliciano?” he said receiving  
no response, “Feliciano?”  
“Leave Feliciano alone, Antonio.”  
This time I stood up very angrily, “He is just talking to Feli! That’s all! Why are you two being  
such jerks!”  
“Lovino, enough of this! You can go to your room right now or I will-”  
“STOP IT!” Antonio said, getting everyone’s attention. His faced was scrunched up as he  
continued, “Stop this, all of you! I’m the one who killed Bella so leave Lovino alone!”


	8. Antonio's POV

Oh god… what have I done. What have I done! How could I just say something like that!?  
Well, it’s easy to say why I guess. Lovino obviously didn’t kill Bella. This kind of yelling from the  
queen and king was so unfair to go through! I couldn’t just let someone so precious to me go  
through this. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone this far though…  
Everyone was staring at me when I opened my eyes again. How could you expect them to  
respond to that, right? Feliciano, Romulus, my mom, and Lovino most of all. They just looked at  
me like a bunch of deer in the headlights. Really I’m just surprised that Lovino hasn’t stormed off  
yet-...  
I speak too soon. His face distorts into what looks like rage as tears start to flow again, but I  
don’t see much of it because as I predicted he turned around and fled probably to his room.  
“Shit, Lovino hold on!” I say and head towards the door, panicked. I don’t make it very far before  
my mom stops me, something truly cold in her voice.  
“Antonio, we need to chat. Right now. Feliciano, go to your room.”  
I don’t care what my mom has to say right now. Whatever she accuses me of, I’ll take it. I  
probably deserve it right now. Whatever punishment doesn’t matter. All I know is that I have to  
talk to Lovino and set things right with him again. I can’t lose him now, I can’t take that. I need to  
get to Lovino. Just as soon as my mom is done here...


	9. Lovino's POV- The End

Sometimes when tragedy happens, the world stops. Almost as if to pay respect to it.  
Yesterday the world stopped. Today it did again.  
Everything, Bella, Antonio, the marriage, the whole everything seems to be chasing me down  
the halls so I run faster, tears streaming down my face. If I could just run faster, stay two steps  
ahead, it will never catch up. It will stay behind me. So I keep running. Past my bedroom, past  
three servants, past the earth begging me to come down from the moon, as if it isn’t full off toxic  
air that will kill me the second I come down.  
I just. Have. To. Run. The stinging in my legs is nothing to the weight threatening to come down  
on me. The burning in my lungs couldn’t compare. Nothing can stop me. Nothing, but-!  
The kitchen doors. The doors to the kitchen. The kitchen…  
I falter for one second and it comes down again. I stop and my legs give out from underneath  
me. This can’t be happening. Why… Why would someone do this? Why would god put me  
under this rock so suffocating I can’t escape? What did I do…?  
I can’t move. I can only cry it feels like. Why am I such a baby!? Is that why? Is that why all this  
is happening. Is it some cruel joke like those played on toddlers…?  
I can’t breath. I can only gasp and wheeze so fast my throat hurts. I know I should focus on  
breathing but my mind can’t think anything but need. I need something right now. I can’t  
remember much but I just… I just need something, someone. But there is nothing but the cold  
floor to hold me.  
For so long there is nothing but the floor, my tears, my breathing, and my crooked thoughts. For  
so long until something evellopes me, someone warm. They are saying something but I don’t  
hear anything. I just weep like a baby, curled into someone’s arms on the floor. It’s like this for  
hours or days or years maybe. Maybe even just seconds. I can’t tell…  
But everything ends. Finally my tears run dry and my breathing calms down. My thoughts are  
still buzzing but can you blame me?  
Suddenly I can even make out what the person is saying.  
“I’m so sorry, Lovino. This was a mistake. This was a mistake! Please… I would give you  
anything in the world if I could. I didn’t do it… I just. Please Lovino… please be okay…”  
“A-... Anton… io?” I choke out, my throat still stinging and my mind still wreaked with havoc. I  
manage to look up at him and stare at his green eyes. Something in me says I should hate him  
yet I can’t remember why so I just stare. He looks like his heart is breaking just at the sight of  
me…  
“Lovino… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”  
I want to say something. I really do, but my voice hurts too much to say anything of use and I  
really can’t remember anything right now so whatever I say would probably sound stupid.  
Instead I just say, “...W-water.”  
He looks almost dumbfounded but he just smiles to himself awkwardly and it feels like the smile  
on his face shouldn’t be there in this mood but then he responds, “Oh… Right of course. Umm,  
here can you stand up?”  
He pulls me out of his arms to get off the ground and takes one of my arms, pulling me with him.  
My feet are a lot less wobbly than I thought they would so, with my hand in his, we walk…  
somewhere. Wherever we’re going. He takes me to a room that feels really familiar and sits me  
down onto the bed.  
“Wait here, I’ll be right back.” so I do. When he comes back he’s holding a glass of water and a  
bowl of tomatoes.  
“Here’s the water and I also got you some of my tomatoes.”  
I don’t try to speak and instead take the glass in his hand, greedily drinking down the fluids. My  
throat feels much better afterwards so I reply, “Thanks and I’m… Not hungry.”  
He says something in response and puts the bowl on a table next to my bed and then sits next  
to me.  
“So Lovino, how are you?”  
“I… Can’t remember. I know that my name is Lovino and you are Antonio but I can’t… Think  
outside of that.”  
“Oh…” he says, rather dumbly.  
“What happened today? Something has happened I think, but what is it?”  
The look on his face is a very mixed one but it definitely is not a positive sign, “Well… I um. I  
guess to put it simply something really bad happened last night…”  
Shit.  
“...And there was an argument today…”  
Oh shit.  
“...And I said something I thought was best but was a big mistake and hurt you alot.”  
Now I remember. It’s such a sudden memory that I don’t even feel anything at first so I just look  
away and try to process it. Bella’s gone. Everyone was mad at me. Antonio killed her. I should  
feel something I know, but I don’t. Strange.  
“You... “ I look back at him, “Did you really kill Bella?”  
His face is one of instant regret and guilt, “No, I didn’t. I shouldn’t have said that, I’m sorry! But I  
didn’t know what to do and they were yelling at you!”  
I don’t feel anything. So I just say, “Oh.”  
Whatever he was expecting, it clearly wasn’t that.  
“Lovino… I expected you to be really mad, are you sick?”  
“No… I don’t know I guess. What happened after I left?”  
“Oh… The queen just yelled at me. She sent Feliciano away to his room. I can barely remember  
half of what she said actually. She said I definitely wasn’t going to be king now so I guess you  
win.”  
“King…? I don’t want to be king anymore, not now.” I said finally feeling at least something,  
being that I do not want to do anything for a very long time.  
“You don’t? But that means… Feliciano is going to be king?”  
“Feli… Feliciano is going to be king, huh. God help us all then.”  
He laughed and I smiled. Maybe everything is fucked up but right now I just need this. I need  
Antonio, his laugh soothing the world back to the way it should be. Everything is the way it  
should be so I lean into Antonio’s shoulder.  
The idea of him being my brother is the very last thing I would call him. To me he’s my lover.  
Nobody else could break me so deeply and then fix me again as if it were nothing.


	10. Epilogue

For a long time after that, Lovino still felt distant from reality. However, being with Antonio was a  
time that he felt more whole. More safe. As time went on he was eventually fully capable of  
being in the moment when it mattered most. As for Antonio, it took a while for everyone who  
knew about his outburst to trust him again, but he managed. To him the whole world could be  
against him but as long as Lovino understood then nothing else mattered.

Those two aside… When Lovino finally told the queen that he didn’t want to be king anymore  
she understood and- with Antonio being taken down as heir to the throne, made way for  
Feliciano to be the heir. With this being set he had to have more tutoring which meant he was  
able to get closer to Ludwig through tutoring. Their relationship was never confirmed nor denied,  
but Kiku could see the way they looked at one another after a night that they both went out for  
lunch together. Even Kiku had a happy ending… Though he was already living happily with his  
lover.

Unfortunately, Feliciano did have to one day take the crown. It was a sad day, many years after  
the events you have seen, when the queen died. A fatal sickness went through her and there  
were no amount of doctors that could help. Soon after the king proved to the whole kingdom in a  
saddening love note to the queen that they truly did love one another just before taking his own  
to be with her again. The three siblings grieved and many believe that it is an ache that never  
left them. Feliciano managed as an incredibly kind king, with Ludwig as his advisor. They both  
managed to pick the kingdom up again after the king and queens death.

As for Antonio and Lovino… After their parents death they both left the castle to live in the  
countryside as a happy couple. They didn’t need to work, being apart of the royal family, but  
they still did so in their own way. Antonio tended to a large crop of tomatoes and other fruits and  
vegetables and Lovino would cook enough for the entire town nearby. They were happy with  
just each other on lazy nights playing board games until Lovino’s patience ran so thin he  
threatened Antonio to a night on the couch.

However, to this day, nobody knows who really killed Bella on that treacherous day...


	11. Bonus Chapter: How Bella Died

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was written by my friend, Kitkat.  
> Her Tumblr: Kitkat-the-muffin  
> Her AO3 account: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooPureForThisKat/pseuds/TooPureForThisKat

Alfred was promoted to become the personal guard of one of the Princes. I should’ve been happy for him, but it’s difficult when one of the only two people in the world who notice my existence is now spending less time with me because of it. Not to mention whenever we do spend time together he can’t stop bragging about his promotion. Francis and I used to go out to eat every Friday night, like we were family almost, and would talk about our lives. But ever since that promotion, Alfred has been coming with us, and I can barely carry group conversations myself so I’ve become more quiet, leaving room for Alfred to talk about himself with Francis most of the time as they are both personal guards.

The last time I had anything of interest to share was when Prince Lovino came in to cook with Bella the first time. He comes in regularly now, just to hang out with Bella and help her prepare meals. Honestly I don’t know why I bother staying in the kitchen when he’s there, he doesn’t even see me anyway. I guess you could call me jealous. Alfred and Francis, the closest thing to a family I have (though Francis isn't related to me by blood), are fancy royal guards, and I’m just a cook. Not even the Head Chef, just a cook. Then again, it beats being in prison, like Arthur…

“Hey Matthew?” Bella says, bringing me from my thoughts and into reality. “Alfred wanted to see you after lunch, so if you’d like I can finish up your work for you!” She smiles at me politely, and I smile back. We aren’t exactly friends, but we are friendly acquaintances, and I am honestly just glad to be seen by someone other than my family.

“Okay. Thanks Bella,” I say. She moves from the kitchen doors to where I had previously been working, and I move past her to leave. Alfred was waiting for me outside, and he and I travel to the restaurant we always visit with Francis. I had hoped he had invited me to join him for dinner so we could bond over what we’ve been doing with our jobs, or something, but really he just kept bragging about his duties as a guard. He is a good brother, and I do not think he was acting like this on purpose, but it felt selfish that he didn’t notice how he was making me feel.

“I was hoping to become Head Chef!” I blurt out. I don’t know why I did, but I guess I was in desperate need for a change of subject. He looks at me, and smiles. It’s a supporting smile. He reaches over the table and rests a hand on my shoulder.

“Mattie, if you want that promotion, you go get it. I believe in you.” Honestly, it was sweetest thing he could’ve said to me at that moment. I smiled at him and thanked him.

But then things went wrong. So very horribly wrong. The next day I confronted Bella, and asked for some pointers on how to become a better chef and grab the attention of the Royal Family. Or, at least, I tried to. I kept stumbling on my words and nothing that came out made any sense. She had looked at me and asked me to slow down, but that made me feel pressured to be more clear. Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. I felt like I was literally going to die, right there. I was shaking and everything hurt and I felt paralyzed. Bella noticed my distress and asked what was wrong.

“P-panic attack-“ I try to say, but again she doesn’t hear me clearly. I can’t repeat myself, I just can’t. I tried to grab onto her for support, but she started moving around, trying to help me, or find someone to help me, but I didn’t want her to leave. I didn’t want her to leave me here to die alone, with no one to notice I was gone. I pulled her back, hard, and the next thing I know she is on the ground, and I can breathe again. I try to remember what had just happened.

I had strangled her. She was trying to help me, and I killed her. I didn’t know what to do. So I ran. I ran away from the crime scene. I was scared. Scared at myself, scared at what I had done, and scared of the corpse I had left behind. I had run into Alfred on my way out of the castle. He saw me in a panic, and asked where I was going. I told him I didn’t feel well, and I was going home to relax. He nodded and took my excuse, because he knows about my anxiety. I don’t think he would’ve let me leave if he had known what I had done. I couldn’t return. I quit my job. I gave up on my dream of becoming Head Chef. Alfred eventually squeezed the truth out of me. I had never seen such a disappointed face. It wasn’t a face of anger, or a face of grief, it was a face of pure disappointment. Nonetheless, he comforted me. I was grateful, for I had not known much comfort in my childhood.

If there is one thing that Alfred was always sure of, is that he didn’t want to be anything like Arthur. He may have dragged me down that rebellious road with him, but I’m still glad to have him with me than to be alone again. So when I told him what I had done, he ran away with me. We’re across the sea now, living new lives in a new home. I still live with the regret from what had happened on that day, however. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it. Neither will the Princes.


End file.
